Volvo Penta debuts new operating systems

Volvo Penta unveiled its new Glass Cockpit System, which provides centralized control and monitoring of a boat’s engines and drives, integrated with navigation, steering and alarm systems.

The Glass Cockpit System is an all-integrated control and monitoring system that gathers all driver information, including warnings and alarms and displays it on one or more high-tech displays.

It enables a common, ergonomic design — and interface — for the whole dashboard, with push buttons on the controls and touch buttons on the screens.

“The Volvo Penta Glass Cockpit gives the boat operator a similar experience to driving a modern automobile,” North America marine sales vice president Marcia Kull said in a statement. “The driver environment in cars is similar, regardless of the car brand. A driver pushes a button with confidence that it all will work. In the boating world it has not been quite as easy — until now. With the launch of the new Glass Cockpit System, Volvo Penta is fundamentally changing the design of the boat driver’s environment.”

“Making things easier for the boat driver and, at the same time, enhancing on-board safety and comfort are fundamental objectives of Volvo Penta,” Kull said. “We developed our new IS technology to provide an efficient and easy-to-handle boat trim system, which will help both beginners and experienced drivers make every trip more pleasant and less stressful — fully in line with Volvo Penta’s easy-boating concept.”

The company gave the media a sneak peek into its new systems last month in Sweden.